Trudeau – a 43-year-old former school teacher – is the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history, after Joe Clark.
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Mr Trudeau, 43, kicked off his majority government with a few controversy with his decision to name an equal number of men and women to a slimmed-down cabinet, the first time gender parity has been achieved in Canada’s team of ministers.
Justin Trudeau has been sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister, appointing a cabinet that he says looks “like Canada”.
His late father Pierre served as prime minister from 1968 to 1984 with a short interruption.
Asked why he felt gender equality in the Cabinet was important, Mr Trudeau said simply: “Because it is 2015”.
“The more diverse your organization, your board, or, in this case, cabinet, the more it reflects the realities of the population we are serving”, Monsef said to Huffington Post Canada.
With his dark mop of curly hair, a confident swagger and hints of his father’s speech, the younger Trudeau stood tall, smiled and mouthed “Thank you” as applause erupted after he took the oath in the ballroom of the governor general’s mansion.
The new parliament, which is expected to return in early December, will include 10 Muslim Canadians – the most ever – as well as 10 First Nation Canadians, also a first. They waved to a large crowd as they walked up the grounds.
Outgoing Conservative defence minister Jason Kenney had taken a hardline stance on security, saying Canada needed to be fighting against Islamic State militants to prevent them from becoming a threat to Canada. We know this. We will be standing up for those Canadians in the days and weeks and months to come.
The conservative prime minister was also angered by Mr Obama’s reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline that was created to transport petroleum from Alberta to Texas.
Women were given high profile portfolios, including Jody Wilson-Raybould, who is the new minister of justice and attorney general who is an indigenous woman; Jane Philpott, the health minister; and first-time member of parliament Catherine McKenna, who was appointed environment and climate change minister.
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Trudeau is taking on the roles as Minister of Intergovernmental affairs and Minister of Youth.
